Nationality
UK

Date of Birth
24^th May 1971

Contact
14 East St
Osney
OX2 0AU
UK

+44 (0) 1865 434316
+44 (0) 1572 722837
[email protected]
www.bigfoot.com/~dylan.menzies
 

Employment History

My research education background has left me with desire to the develop ideas without having to rely on much direction. Conversely, I greatly appreciate being able to work with people with who I can genuinely exchange ideas, or contribute to a larger structured goal.

March 1999 - present Mathengine plc

Working full-time as head of acoustic synthesis research and development in the Oxford office.

Created an optimised real-time system for the realistic synthesis of the sound from an environment of rigid and deformable bodies which can roll, slide, skid, or hit each other.

Creation of analysis tools for fitting model parameters to actual sound recordings.

Developed a novel approach to efficiently model diffuse wood-like resonance.

Worked with dynamics library developers to integrate acoustics with the MathEngine real-time physics engine, to enable rapid integration of life-like and responsive audio for interactive simulations.

Library used by Hasbro, Vivid Image.

1995-1998 University of York

Part time teaching work in York University Electronics Dept: C programming, studio recording techniques and mathematics.

Helped prepare a new course in audio processing design using Matlab.

1994, summer  Cosmic Solutions

Collecting and analysing supermarket data.

Working with commercial database software developers on product improvement.

1995 - 1998 University of York

DPhil thesis in Music Technology completed, based in the Electronics Department.

Central theme was the design and development of electronic musical instruments for live performance with an emphasis on contemporary electroacoustic music.

A computer-based system, LAmb, for the performance diffusion of 3D Ambisonic sound using a keyboard interface was developed, using novel diffusion algorithms. This was awarded 1st prize in the real-time category of the Bourges International Computer Music Software Competition, 1997.

In collaboration with other students, a new 12-speaker permanent speaker set-up was conceived, designed and installed in a music department concert room, leading to participation as composer and technical director.

A novel wind controller, the CyberWhistle, with continuous finger control was developed together with integrated physically modelled software synthesis.

1994 - 1995 University of York

MSc in Music Technology. Courses include Musical Fundamentals, Musical Computing, MIDI, Microprocessors, Signal processing, Electronics, C programming, Studio Recording, Acoustics, Psycho-acoustics, Digital Sound Synthesis and Software engineering. Course work consists of programming, electronics, musical composition, essays, written exams and projects.

1989 - 1994 Trinity College, Cambridge University.

University of Cambridge Tripos Results:

IA Computer Science 1
IA Mathematics 1
IB Mathematics 1
IIB Mathematics 2i
 

Broad range of subjects covered, but main emphasis on pure maths and mathematical physics

Became a Senior Scholar in 1993.

I have a wide range of skills which I can draw on according to the task at hand. I work best when combining several skills at once. Although I am a capable programmer I prefer and am best able to concentrate on the core technology development and work with application programmers on ensuring the technology is transfered.

Mathematics

General problem solving in pure and applied mathematics to graduate level.

Application to audio signal processing, physical dynamics, geometric techniques in computer graphics.

Audio Technology

Good overall knowledge of how modern optimised audio software and hardware systems are designed.

Detailed knowledge of algorithms for the analysis and synthesis of audio for musical applications and vr simulations.

Experience creating complete computer-based  real-time audio systems.

Knowledge of surround-sound principles and systems, including B-format processing.

Experience using of a wide selection of audio software and hardware for music production.

Use of software for sound processing, analysis and prototyping. matlab, csound

Experience using audio libraries on different platforms. DirectSound, Spu, Alsa.

General Computer Skills

• C / C++ .
• Extensive use of C++ for developing libraries of real-time signal-processing-objects.
• Real-time system resource management.
• Creating APIs in C and C++ for widespread use.
• Development on unix (irix / linux) and Windows with Microsoft Visual Studio.
• C API wrappers for C++.
• Occasional use of pascal, lisp, ml, prolog.
• OpenGL used in demos, full understanding of geometric issues.
• Use of PIC microcontrollers for remote data transduction, including assembler.

Interests

Writing computer music and sequenced music.
Co-founder of the electroacoustic group nerve8.
Public performance on tenor saxophone, keyboards,
electric guitar in a range of musical styles.
Art, computer graphics, animations.
Recreational mathematics.
Cycling, running, football, kayaking, gliding.